SFMC Math Camp Staff

Directors

Jessica Delgado, Co-Founder

Jessica is currently earning her PhD in algebraic number theory at University of Hawaii Manoa as well as teaching full time at Kapi'olani Community College. She is also working with the Math Circle for Teachers group on Oahu. Jessica enjoys creating and teaching innovative math circle lessons and teaching introductory mathematics to non-traditional students. While an NSF fellow at UHM, Jessica was involved in projects to bring mathematics to the community such as making rockets with children from the local shelters. Besides researching and teaching mathematics, Jessica also enjoys surfing, hiking, and snorkeling in various places on Oahu. After Jessica earns her PhD, she hopes to get involved with the Department of Education in Hawaii to help influence math curriculum on the K-12 level.

Servando Pineda-Carranza, Co-Founder

Servando runs the math branch of Supplemental Instruction program at San Francisco State University, and works with both the Math Department and the Metro Academies College Success program as a lecturer and mentor. Servando earned his B.A. in math at the University of California, Berkeley and his M.A. in math at San Francisco State University. His passion for mathematics and education has allowed him to work in various types of programs: Math Circle instructor and summer camp co-founder, managed the sites of several Science Adventures summer camps, created a math summer program for College Track, a non-profit dedicated to serving students from underrepresented communities, and worked as recreation leader for a number of different summer camps. Servando’s passion is to find better ways to empower minority students in mathematics. He is currently working with the Equity team at San Francisco State University to bring social justice into math classrooms to help increase the university’s first and second-year retention of STEM majors.

Kelley Walker, Co-Founder

Kelley is currently a PhD student at The University of Houston. She is formerly a NSF GK-12 fellow from San Francisco State where she earned her B.A. and M.A. in mathematics. Kelley’s experience with the San Francisco Math Circle ranges from session planning and execution to co-founding the SFMC Math Camp which launched in 2013. Her interests are in dynamical systems, differential equations, and puzzles. After graduation, she hopes to work in the field of space technology and exploration - an interest which was spurred by moving next door to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Outside of mathematics, Kelley enjoys spending time with her two rescue dogs, playing tennis within her local community, and visiting her family in California. Kelley’s favorite podcast is StarTalk hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Jack Love, Co-Founder

Jack is a PhD student in mathematics at George Mason University, SFSU alumnus, former SFMC instructor, former counselor at Element YMCA Skateboard Camp (elementary to high school) and Camp Galileo (K through 5th grade). Jack is also an avid skateboarder and artist. He has served as camp counselor at Element YMCA Skateboard Camp at Sequoia Lake in the central Sierras, and Camp Galileo, an art, science, and outdoors camp for elementary students, in Menlo Park, California. As a graduate student, he enjoys teaching introductory math classes at George Mason as much as delving into research in the more advanced topics. After earning his PhD, he hopes to return to California to teach community college mathematics and remain involved in math education at all levels.

Steven Collazos, Co-Founder

Steven has a master's degree in mathematics from San Francisco State University, and he is currently a doctoral student at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, where he is specializing in combinatorics. While in San Francisco, he was an instructor for the San Francisco Math Circle (SFMC) for two years, and is a founding director of the SFMC Math Camp. His goal is to become a research mathematician. Steven was born in Smithtown, New York, but grew up in Armenia, which is a small city located in the department of El Quindio in Colombia. After finishing high school, Steven went back to New York to attend college. He was going to study music, but he thought that mathematics would be easier, so he stuck to that as his path at first; later on he discovered that he liked it a lot more, too. His mathematical interests are combinatorics, algebra, and topology. Aside from mathematics, he enjoys soccer, chess, instrumental music, reading, and dancing tango.

Summer 2015 Counselors

In addition to the Math Camp directors, the please see the following list of camp counselors.

Zandra Vinegar: Zandra's pasSion for math is a combination of hEr love for art and for arguing. Her areas of mathematiCal focus while in college included abstRact algEbra, mathemaTical econoMics, computational origami, and thEoretical computer Science. Her artiStic projects hAve included everythinG from sidEwalk chalk aUtomata to interactive, Star-drawing javascript codE to designing And Building furniture. A reCent graduate Of MIT, Zandra completed a major in math and a humanities concentRation in eDucation. ShE loves teaching, especially math, but anything cRazy and beautiful will do. And she ParticuLarly loves when have stUdentS have thOse momeNts whEn they think, 'XDR, SGZS LZJDR RN LTBG RDMRD MNV!' in her classes.

David Klein: David has been an instructor with the San Francisco Math Circle for the past two years. He received a B.A. in Statistics, Economics, and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and is in the process of completing his M.A. in Mathematics at San Francisco State University. His favorite field of math is combinatorics, which is a fancy way of saying that he likes using pretty pictures to find clever ways to count things. In general, he enjoys reading, talking, listening, and learning.

Aileen Young: Aileen's childhood disdain for math was pacified after taking a calculus course at SFSU. Her new found interest in math was truly enlightening and, since then, Aileen has worked with students of various abilities and ages to support their understanding and exploration of math. Aside from being a Math and English instructor, Aileen is jazzed by fluffy animals, games (of any nature), and reruns of 3rd Rock from the Sun.

The following list includes all instructors, counselors, and organizers from past Math Camps: